Dates agreed for first world class commissioning regional events

After the highly successful national event on 27 January for PCT chief executives and boards, events for other key PCT personnel are now being scheduled. Delegates to these events will be briefed on the progress of world class commissioning implementation and will be given copies of the latest guidance. The design of the events takes particular account of regional needs in primary care and involved close collaboration with SHAs. The first dates to be set are:

• 31 March - East of England - Cambridge University Arms Hotel
• 8 April - East Midlands - Nottingham Belfry
• 12 May - NHS London - Hilton London Metropole
• 19 May - NHS West Midlands - venue to be confirmed

We will advise of dates for other SHA regions on the PCC website and via the newsletter. See the events section of the website for further details.

Call for experts in primary care and commissioning

NHS PCC and NHS Networks are producing a contact database of colleagues who are interested in getting involved in our work programmes. We are looking to gather contact details of subscribers and partner organisations who would be prepared to:

• speak at regional or national conferences
• join an expert QA panel for PCC
• share local learning and good practice examples
• feature their work at an event or exhibition

If you have expertise in primary care and commissioning please email conor.mcgirr@pcc.nhs.uk with contact information and brief details of your expertise.

Transforming community health services briefing

This briefing, based on a study into staff attitudes towards transferring to new organisational models, looks at the barriers and incentives to change, and examines insights from staff in organisations that are further forward in the transformation process.

The briefing is available on the NHS Employers website, here.

Impact assessment for implementing personalised care planning for people with long term conditions (including guidance to NHS and social care)

This impact assessment sets out the policy options that have been considered to help ensure people with long term conditions get the choice of and access to health services that best enable them to manage their condition.

Download the PDF here.

DH sets out its vision for PBC

The Department of Health last week published its vision for PBC. 'Clinical commissioning : our vision for practice-based commissioning' is the result of work with PCTs, SHAs and clinicians. It is available for download here.

FHSAA: Transfer of administration to the Tribunals Service

On 1 April 2009, administration of the FHSAA (the Family Health Services Appeal Authority) will transfer to the jurisdiction of the Tribunals Service, replacing current arrangements with the NHS Litigation Authority. However, this does not change the arrangements for appeals to the Secretary of State that are properly dealt with by the NHS Litigation Authority through its FHS Appeal Unit.

A letter providing further details is available here.

NHS Networks forms PBC Connection to provide NHS-wide support

A new network has been launched by NHS Networks with support from the Department of Health to bring together all stakeholders in PBC. Called the PBC Connection, the network aims to unite clinicians, PCT commissioners, patients and other stakeholders and to encourage sharing of intelligence, PBC tools and best practice.

Join the PBC Connection here or find out more by downloading a backgrounder here.

Ready Reckoner clarification

Following the recent update to the Ready Reckoner for use by PCTs in calculating the impact of changes to QOF and global sum on practices, PCC has clarified important points about its use.

Download the clarification here.

The Ready Reckoner is available for download here.

Please direct any further comments about the use of this tool to Primary Care Contracting Advisor Mike Simpson. Please read the instructions for use included with the Ready Reckoner and the latest clarification first.

Analysis underway on results of benchmarking survey

Analysis of the first national review of primary care medical services is now underway. Over half of PCTs have contributed to the study conducted by NHS Benchmarking Network and PCC. Early findings confirm the value of the exercise to PCTs in providing key evidence to primary care performance management and commissioning. Considerable variation exists across primary care medical services with regard to practice configurations, workforce profiles, service access, patient involvement, and infrastructure provision around practice premises and IM&T.

There is also much evidence of innovation. This is most evident in the range of enhanced services provided across PCTs but is also apparent in other areas including local access arrangements, long-term conditions initiatives, local quality measures, contract monitoring, and plans for equitable access. Full details will be outlined in the report that will be issued at the launch event on 26 March. Subscribers to PCC can book a place at the event here.

Guidance for responsible pharmacist regulations now available

Factual guidance on new regulations relating to the sale and supply of medicines from registered pharmacies is now available on the DH website. The Medicines (Pharmacies) (Responsible Pharmacist) Regulations 2008: guidance is available here.

Medicines management event

NHS Connecting for Health recently held a conference, Medicines Management - Creating the Future, at which delegates could find out about the drivers and issues for systems and services for medicines management. Speakers' notes are now available on the CFH website here.

Steele Review - regular updates available

As part of the independent review of NHS dentistry Professor Jimmy Steele will be providing regular updates via the DH website on the emerging key themes and issues. These updates - the latest of which was published on 25 February - will reflect on the responses that people have been sending into the review mailbox and Professor Steele's observations as he engages with key stakeholders around the country. View the updates here.

NHS Information Centre awards dental health survey contract to ONS-led consortium

The NHS Information Centre has awarded the contract to deliver the Adult Dental Health Survey (ADHS) 2009 to a consortium led by the Office for National Statistics (ONS).

Read the full story here.

Advice on credit for practices losing patients to bad weather

A number of queries have been received from PCTs asking if it is possible to credit practices with UDAs for patient non-attendance due to the recent bad weather. While this is ultimately a PCT decision, we would not advise PCTs to credit UDAs for any non-clinical activity. It remains open to PCTs to consider any unusual circumstances during the year as part of the annual report and review.

GOC retention deadline 15 March: less than a week to go

The retention deadline for all fully-registered optometrists and dispensing opticians is six days away. All full individual and business registrants must complete and return their retention application forms, along with £219 payment, by 15 March 2009.

More on this story at the GOC website, here.

QOF business rules v13

The business rules for the QOF for 2008/09 have been amended to take into account the October Read code update. Version 13 supersedes all previous versions.

Download the rule sets here.

Contracting Managers x2 - Wolverhampton City PCT

Ref: 799-2711

Subscriber only events

Other

Event open to all

March 2009

• 10th: NHS London, SE Coast, S Central and EoE: Building Foundations for World Class Commissioning for Primary Care - Pharmacy - Hilton London Metropole, W2 1JU
• 10th: N E Essex PCT - Tendring CCG Practice Shutdown Event - Marks Tey Hotel, Colchester CO6 1DU
• 11th: NHS South East Coast Transforming Community Services - Hilton Gatwick Airport, Crawley RH6 0LL
• 11th: NHS London Focus Group - De Vere 17 Portland Place, London W1B 1PU
• 11th: N E Essex PCT - Colchester PBC Practice Shutdown Event - Stoke By Nayland Hotel, Colchester CO6 4PZ
• 11th: Acute Workshop for Independent Sector Providers - Holiday Inn London Bloomsbury, WC1N 1HT
• 17th: East of England Regional PCTs Dental Network - Hilton Stansted Airport, Stansted CM24 1SF
• 17th: IAPT Course Clinical Leads & Primary Care Development Day - Marriott Kensington, London SW5 0TH
• 19th: NHS London; Equitable Access Programme Network Meeting - De Vere 17 Portland Place, London W1B 1PU
• 25th: BY INVITATION ONLY - E Midlands Region: Focus Group - Allocation TBC,
• 26th: Primary Care Medical Services Benchmarking and Good Practice - Business Design Centre, Islington, London N1 0QH
• 26th: NHS London Dental Contracts - De Vere Holborn Bars, London EC1N 2NQ
• 27th: South West Region: Transforming Community Services Roadshow - The Cleve Hotel & Country Club, Wellington TA21 8SN
• 30th: North: Building Foundations for World Class Commissioning: Eye Care - Hilton Leeds, LS1 4BX
• 31st: South West Pharmacy Network Meeting - Holiday Inn Taunton, Taunton TA1 2UA

For further event dates please see www.pcc.nhs.uk/events